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At a Glance: Name: Ella – Meaning: diminutive of Eleanor or Ellen, with no independent meaning of its own – Origin: English (short form) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: EL-uh
Ella is an English name that took shape as a short form of Eleanor or Ellen, and on its own it doesn't carry a separate meaning. You may come across claims that it means 'light' or 'fairy maiden,' but that's not backed by its history — it simply emerged in the 19th century as a pet form of those longer names. SSA records for the name go back to 1880, so it's been in use in the U.S. for well over a century.
Meaning & Origin of Ella
Meaning: Diminutive of Eleanor or Ellen, with no independent meaning of its own.
Origin: English (short form).
A common claim: Ella is often said to mean 'light' or 'fairy maiden'. Actually: Ella has no independent meaning of its own — it emerged as a 19th-century pet form of Eleanor or Ellen, so these glosses aren't supported by its etymology.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Ella
Phonetic: EL-uh IPA: /ˈɛlə/
Popularity of Ella
Ella hit its high point in 2011, ranking #12 with 9,597 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had eased to #30, with 5,685 babies named Ella — still common, just down from its peak.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Ella Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Ella, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Ella mean?
Diminutive of Eleanor or Ellen, with no independent meaning of its own. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ella)
How do you pronounce Ella?
Ella is pronounced EL-uh (IPA: /ˈɛlə/).
Is Ella a popular name right now?
Ella peaked at #12 in 2011 and is ranked #30 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Ella? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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